Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “schoolgirl” come from?

Schoolgirl comes from English school and girl, where school derives from Middle English scole, Middle Dutch scole, and Latin schola, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷel-.

schoolgirl (English): A girl attending school; To restrain in a...

Definitions

  1. A girl attending school; To restrain in a...

Ancestry of “schoolgirl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishschoolA group of fish or a group of marine mammals such...
2Middle Englishscoleschool
3Old Englishscōlplace of education
4Proto-Germanic*skōlu—
5LatinscholaLeisure time given to learning; schooltime,...
6Ancient Greekσχολήleisure, free time; rest; that in which leisure...
7Proto-Hellenicskʰolā́—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansǵʰ-h₃-léh₂—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanseǵʰ-to hold; to overpower

Words derived from “schoolgirl”

  • schoolgirlish
  • schoolgirlishly
  • schoolgirlishness
  • schoolgirly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- →